Category: Tuition

Two Days Piping in New York

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The visit last weekend began with a piping clinic in an upstairs room in a pub in Manhattan. We had 12 attendees. My co-presenter, Jim MacGillivary, Ontario, began with a detailed look at technique. He urged everyone to set time aside each day for work on scales. Single gracenote practice was very important too; our movements, when broken down, all comprise these essential embellishments after all. By the Editor Scales…

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Northern Ireland: Heart of Down/ C of C/Closkelt/

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Newcastle’s Donard Park was the venue for the final RSPBANI Branch outdoor competition of the season which included the final of the Champion of Champions competition. While it was a little cold in the early part of the day the warm afternoon sunshine provided ideal conditions for the competitors and the large body of spectators at what is one of the most scenic venues below the towering Mountains of Mourne. Local…

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Canada’s Sean McKeown on Winning the Gold Medal

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Winning the Gold Medal is something that I’ve been striving for for some time. It’s every piper’s dream to win ‘the Medal’. To have the opportunity to play for it, first of all, has been a great honour. My first year in the Medal, placing behind my good friend Ian K MacDonald twice on his double win in 2016, was a really special moment for me and now, all these…

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P/M William Lyons BEM, 1940 – 2026

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William Lyons was taught to play the pipes, as a boy, at the Corbet Pipe Band, just outside Banbridge in County Down, Northern Ireland. He joined the Irish Guards, in 1957.  During his service, he guest-played with one of Ireland’s top bands of the time, Dromara, under Pipe Major Harold Hook. His first piping instructor in the army was P/M KG Roe of the Scots Guards, and he always described…

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Reflections on Day 1 at the 2026 Argyllshire Gathering

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What a day for North America! Three of the five major prizes went to either Canada or the US with the other going to New Zealand. Scotland’s honour was saved by Finlay Johnston in the ‘big’ MSR – but with Ontario’s Ian K MacDonal right on his brogue heels. Ian’s compatriot Sean McKeown took the coveted Highland Society of London Gold Medal. This was a very popular win. Over the…

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